When I think of Asian sweets, the flavor that comes to mind after mango, litchi and durian is matcha green tea. I love pairing matcha with black sesame; I think the flavors go perfectly together.
Lulu and the girls made a beautiful rau câu birthday cake for my birthday several weeks ago, based on a recipe I posted. Rau câu means agar agar in Vietnamese.
I made a matcha agar agar jello cake paired with black sesame sauce and garnished it with fresh diced mangoes for color. The dessert tastes like a sweeten matcha green tea with a soft jelly texture.
1. Info for Matcha Green Tea Agar Agar with Sweet Black Sesame Sauce
- Cook Time: 34 mins
- Total Time: 48 mins
- Servings: 10
- Calories: 200 kcal
2. Ingredients for Matcha Green Tea Agar Agar with Sweet Black Sesame Sauce
- 2 (0.88-ounce) packages agar agar powder
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 3 cups half and half
- 2-1/3 cups superfine sugar, + 4 tablespoons for the syrup
- 7-1/3 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
- 2 tablespoons black sesame powder
- 2 teaspoons potato starch
- 1 pinch wasabi powder (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup fresh mango, diced
3. Directions:
- For the sweet black sesame sauce, whisk the black sesame powder, potato starch, wasabi powder (if used), salt and ground ginger in 1/2 cup of water. Make simple syrup by heating 1/2 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan. When boiling, whisk in the black sesame powder mixture. Bring back to a full boil, then lower to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Add the agave nectar and light corn syrup. Let cool completely. Set aside until you’re ready to serve.
- In a bowl, whisk the matcha green tea powder in a cup of half and half.
- Dissolve the agar agar in water. Pour the agar agar liquid into a sauce pan. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower to medium. Keep stirring for an even, smooth texture.
- In a different pan, heat the coconut milk and remaining half and half, then combine with the agar agar liquid. Add sugar, then lower the heat. Add the matcha and condensed milk. Move immediately to the next step; otherwise the mixture might set in the pan.
- Brush an (at least 1-inch high) baking sheet with cold water. Pour the matcha agar agar mixture into the baking sheet. Let the jello cake sit until it’s completely cool.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Unmold the matcha agar agar onto a cutting board.
- Create 10 disks, using a 1-1/2-inch diameter circle cutter. Fill about 2 tablespoons of black sesame sauce onto each dessert plate. Place a matcha agar disk on the sauce. Garnish with some fresh mango.
- Serve with Vietnamese coffee.
- Bon appétit!
